Disappointing prayer breakfast
Written by on February 5, 2024
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For release: 02/06/24
Let us pray
By Cal Thomas
Tribune Content Agency
The number of President Biden’s gaffes and flip-flops on issues would fill a book, but he combined several categories of verbal meanderings at last week’s National Prayer Breakfast.
The gathering took place in the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall. Biden pronounced it “statutory hall.” He must have had son Hunter’s legal problems and the possibility of his own impeachment in mind. The annual event has been moved from a downtown hotel after allegations were made that some attendees were selling their tickets to people who wanted to lobby Members of Congress. The event is now restricted to members and some staff.
Near the end of his remarks, Biden mentioned Psalm 22, which was a prophetic Psalm written by King David. It foretells the crucifixion of Jesus Christ 1,000 years in the future. One of its verses is quoted by Jesus on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Biden didn’t just misquote it, he rewrote it: “In my church we’ve turned (it) into a hymn – He will raise you up on Eagles wings…” He also blended in a line from the Irish Blessing.
Other statements contradict Biden’s behavior, including his call for us to “…see ourselves as fellow human beings, each made in the image of God.” Apparently, that only applies after one is born as Biden has flipped from pro-life to pro-abortion (as Donald Trump has flipped in the opposite direction, both with no convincing argument, other than political pragmatism).
Biden added: “There is nothing beyond our capacity if we act together.” To Democrats that mostly means Republicans giving in to them. Consider the latest tax bill in the House where Republicans have caved on several programs favored by Democrats, including expansion of the child tax credit, resulting in further bloating of the welfare state.
Politico reports that in private Biden uses “salty language” and has called Trump a sick f–k.” Apparently to Biden some human beings are worth more than others.
The misuse of Scripture to baptize a president’s political positions goes back to early America. In modern times, as reported by Christianity Today magazine: “The 1992 political season has witnessed spectacularly crass abuse of Scripture. George (H.W.) Bush began the charade at the convention of the National Religious Broadcasters in January. The President concluded a defense of the Gulf War with an outrageous application of Matthew 5:14: ‘I want to thank you for helping America, as Christ ordained, to be a light unto the world.’
“Six months later at the Democratic convention, the scandal continued. In his acceptance speech, Albert Gore mished and mashed several scriptural phrases when he affirmed, ‘In the words of the Bible, “Do not lose heart. This nation will be renewed” (there is no such verse). And Bill Clinton messed up 1 Corinthians 2:9 just as badly, asserting that ‘Scripture says: “Our eyes have not seen, nor our ears heard, nor our minds imagined what we can build.’” The actual verse says “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” Big difference.
Biden concluded what one critic called his “platitudinous and hypocritical” remarks by making an appeal for Congress to “work together.” We’ve heard that before, but what does it mean when it comes to disagreement over policies? He didn’t say.
These types of meetings that include the National Day of Prayer and other religious events may make participants feel good and in the case of Members of Congress, send a positive signal to their constituents that they’re not heathens, but in the end – to quote Hillary Clinton in a different context – what difference does it make?
The members returned to the House and Senate chambers, resuming the same arguments with the most extreme calling each other names.
Let the rest of us pray. Even better, vote the bad ones out in November.
Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
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